War with Iran
Obviously there is a major propaganda push to make it seem like Iran is only months away from having nuclear weapons, or may even have them now. Regime Change Iran quotes from a UPI story:
Tehran is planning a nuclear weapons test before the Iranian New Year on March 20, 2006 says a group opposed to the regime in Tehran.The Foundation for Democracy citing sources in the U.S and Iran offered no further information.The FDI quotes sources in Iran that the high command of the Revolutionary Guards Air Force have issued new orders to Shahab-3 missile units, ordering them to move mobile missile launchers every 24 hours in view of a potential pre-emptive strike by the U.S. or Israel. The order was issued Tuesday, Jan. 16.
On December 5 I made a post titled: "U.N.: Iran 'Months' From Having Nuke (oh, really?)", http://coverthistory.blogspot.com/2005/12/u.html, which showed how much of the major media mischaracterized comments by Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency, to claim that Iran was close to having nuclear weapons.
In reality, most intelligence estimates are that Iran is years away from having nuclear weapons, as this story shows:
Iran Is Judged 10 Years From Nuclear Bomb
U.S. Intelligence Review Contrasts With Administration Statements
By Dafna Linzer
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 2, 2005; Page A01
A major U.S. intelligence review has projected that Iran is about a decade away from manufacturing the key ingredient for a nuclear weapon, roughly doubling the previous estimate of five years, according to government sources with firsthand knowledge of the new analysis.
The carefully hedged assessments, which represent consensus among U.S. intelligence agencies, contrast with forceful public statements by the White House. Administration officials have asserted, but have not offered proof, that Tehran is moving determinedly toward a nuclear arsenal.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/01/AR2005080101453.html
Of course even if Iran were to eventually develop ten or twenty nuclear weapons they would be no match for the United States or Israel.
The eventual possibility of a nuclear Iran is a real concern; however, the current propaganda is an obvious pretext for war--a war that would be a catastrophe for this country and the world. Meanwhile Hilary Clinton seems to be trying to move to the right of the Bush administration on this issue, which is troubling, to say the least.
